Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike

More than 100 Palestinian political prisoners have been on hunger strike since 24 April. They are protesting Israel’s administrative detention regime, under which people are locked up without charge or trial. Under the regime, Palestinians are detained using secret “evidence”.

Israel has reneged on previous promises to restrict the use of administrative detention, as is required under international law. The agreement was made in order to end a mass hunger strike by more than 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners.

According to the Palestinian Political Prisoner Association Addameer, as of 1 March there were more than 5,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails. More than 180 were held under administrative detention, including nine Palestinian Legislative Council members.

Since 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been detained under the regime. Some have been jailed for more than eight years without charge or trial.

According to Addameer, Israeli authorities have raided cells, beaten prisoners and transferred some to unknown locations. Hunger strikers have been isolated from other prisoners and detained in overcrowded cells.

In the Naqab prison, hunger striking prisoners have been placed in isolation cells with floors covered in sand. They are handcuffed for 10 hours a day and subject to daily searches.

Since the hunger strike began, another 150 Palestinian prisoners have joined and thousands of others have participated in solidarity actions.